Brackenfur's Quest
by brackenfurlover
Summary: “A blossomed bracken will unite to save the Clans or strangle them, suffocating them and shattering every last bit of StarClan with them.” This is the prophecy Jayfeather recieves. What does it mean? Written by me and Moonstream-Warrior!
1. Prologue

**Yes, after many months of complaining that Brackenfur is not noticed enough, I, and Moonstream-Warrior, are making a story centered around Brackenfur! Tada! LOVE IT! READ IT! BE HAPPY!! Ahem... yeah, my co-writer is Moonstream-Warrior, and we will be switching off with the chapters! I do one, she does one, I do one, she does one, I do one, she does one, etc. :D ENJOY I SAY!!**

**EDIT: I forgot to put this, thanks to Mudfur6264's guide, I made the apprentice ceremony and warrior ceremony! *gives Mudfur6264 a Brackenfur plushie and a Blossompaw plushie to add to her list***

_**Prologue**_

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a clan meeting," a loud meow called, bringing many cats out of their warm dens. I padded out from where I was resting with Sorreltail, my lovely mate, and made my way over to under the Highledge. The air was chilly, and I was starting to be concerned that greencough was in the air. I hoped that none of the new kits that season would bring would be affected.

I looked up at the ledge and saw Firestar sitting there, with Brambleclaw close at his side. I always felt a pang of envy when I thought of how I could have been sitting there, next to my leader, instead of him. Before I could think about it more, Firestar interrupted with his call. Looking around, I saw my fellow Clan cats come out of their dens and venture over to us. Sorreltail glanced at me and walked over. I noticed she was walking a little slower than normal and that her stomach was beginning to bulge out. Jayfeather would probably confirm her pregnancy soon. Our other daughters, Poppyfrost and Cinderheart, were beautiful she-cats. My other daughter, Honeyfern, had recently died from snakebite, and Sorreltail was devastated.

Right then, I noticed five kits walking eagerly up to the Highledge where our leader sat. I remember when I was like that, just small little Brackenkit, and how excited I had been to finally become an apprentice. Of course, I held it all in and took on a serious air, while Cinderkit bounced around all over the place. I smiled when I remembered my loyal medicine cat sister, and then I remembered how she had died when she protected my kits. I sometimes saw her reflection when I looked at Cinderheart.

"Rosekit, Toadkit, Bumblekit, Briarkit, Blossomkit," Firestar purred, looking down at the apprentices with pride. I noticed how little Blossomkit was bouncing around and purred to myself. That kit would make an energetic apprentice and a loyal warrior. "This is a proud day for ThunderClan," the leader continued, "By naming apprentices we show ThunderClan will survive and remain strong. Rosekit, Toadkit. Your apprentice ceremonies were delayed by the loss of Hollyleaf. I apologize for that. Now, you will both earn your mentor and apprenticeship."

"Toadkit," Firestar meowed, looking down at the black and white tom. He was bouncing on all four paws, and Dustpelt continued to give him stern glances. I chuckled to myself and exchanged a glance with Sorreltail. We would both be surprised if Dustpelt was not given the tom. He seemed to be the only one that could control the rambunctious kit. "From now on until you receive your warrior name you will be known as Toadpaw. Dustpelt," Firestar meowed, looking at the old tom. "You are ready for another apprentice. You will be Toadpaw's mentor. I know you will pass on your strength and thoughtfulness to Toadpaw, and teach him the skills that will make him a noble warrior of ThunderClan."

Dustpelt went to touch noses with the apprentice. Toadpaw hit the tom with a hard bump to the nose, and the dark brown cat gave a small hiss while cuffing the small apprentice over the ear. This emitted quiet laughter from the rest of the clan, and Toadpaw looked away in embarrassment.

Purring, Firestar looked at Rosekit. I suddenly noticed Jayfeather, our blind medicine cat, sitting next to the leader. Ever since Leafpool ran away, he had had trouble trying to manage the Clan alone. I felt pity for him; his mother had left him to take care of ThunderClan all alone.

"Cats of ThunderClan," the gray tabby meowed, "As you know, I will not be around forever. Therefore, it is time I took an apprentice. I have chosen a cat for her integrity and strong interest in healing and herbs. Your next medicine cat will be Rosepaw." Rosepaw looked a little startled, as if she had not been expecting Jayfeather to take her. I watched as Firestar addressed her.

"Rosepaw, do you accept the post of apprentice to Jayfeather?" he mewed.

"I do, Firestar," Rosepaw mewled a little breathlessly.

"Then at the half-moon you must travel to Moonpool to be accepted by StarClan before the other medicine cats. The entire Clan wishes you luck on your journey to becoming a medicine cat," Jayfeather proclaimed. Rosepaw jumped up next to him, and they touched noses. I saw a look of pride in her eyes, and I purred. I hoped Firestar assigned me one of Graystripe's kits.

"Bumblekit," Firestar meowed, turning to acknowledge the other three kits. "Bumblekit, from this day until you earn your warrior name, you shall be known as Bumblepaw. " He paused for a moment, and I noticed he look thoughtful as he swept the crowd of cats with his green gaze. Finally, his eyes rested on my daughter. "Cinderheart," he called, "you are ready for your first apprentice. You will mentor Bumblepaw. Pass on your intelligence and loyalty to this apprentice, and teach him the many skills he will need to become a warrior." The two walked forward, and I could not tell which one was more excited. I purred for my daughter. I was very proud of her and her accomplishments. She was a brave and beautiful she-cat.

Next, Firestar looked at Briarkit. "Little Briarkit," he meowed, "It is your turn. From this day on, until I give you your warrior name, you shall be known as Briarpaw. Sorreltail," he mewed, gazing at my gorgeous mate. She looked a little surprised as she stood up. "The Clan knows you are to have Brackenfur's kits, but you are due for an apprentice. You shall mentor Briarpaw, and when you go to the nursery, Birchfall will be her temporary mentor." I watched proudly as Sorreltail and Briarpaw bumped noses, and then as Birchfall came up to give the new apprentice a small lick on the shoulder. I laughed as I noticed Blossomkit looking enviously at her siblings and still bouncing on all paws.

"Finally, Blossomkit. You shall be known as Blossompaw, until you earn your warrior name. Brackenfur," Firestar meowed, looking at the apprentice and then me. My ears perked up a little; I had not been expecting to become a mentor that day. "You will be Blossompaw's mentor. I know you will pass on your honor and courage to this young cat."

I walked forward to my apprentice. She gave me a large purr, and we bumped noses. At that bump, I felt a small shock on my nose. From the way the tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat pulled back, I could tell she felt it too. I looked at her in confusion for a heartbeat, and then I walked back to my place near Sorreltail. Blossompaw looked puzzled, but she padded back to her mother.

"Briarpaw, Bumblepaw, Blossompaw, Toadpaw, Rosepaw!" the Clan chanted. All of the five apprentices looked proudly at the Clan.

Firestar waited until the Clan quieted down to continue. "Now, Foxpaw and Icepaw, please step forward." The two apprentices calmly stepped up to the Highledge. "I, Firestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Foxpaw and Icepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your clan, even at the cost of your life?" he mewed. I remembered the day I turned into a warrior. It was the proudest day of my life.

Foxpaw bravely meowed, "I do." Icepaw said so more timidly; as if she were afraid she was doing something wrong.

"Then by the powers of StarClan," he continued, "I give you your warrior names. Foxpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Foxpelt. StarClan honors your bravery and your courage, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Firestar leaned over and placed his head on Foxpelt's own head. The tom was very calm, and I was surprised. He was normally very hyperactive.

"Icepaw, from this moment on you will be known as Iceflame. StarClan honors your thoughtfulness of others and your understanding." Iceflame walked forward and licked her leader's shoulder, while he laid his head on hers.

Suddenly Squirrelflight ran into the camp. She was panting, and I noticed she had a little blood on her stomach. "Fire... star! Come... quick! Fern... cloud... dead..," she mewed, her chest heaving. My eyes grew wide; what had happened?

Firestar immediately jumped down from the Highledge. "Take me, Squirrelflight," he demanded. "Brackenfur, Jayfeather, Foxpelt, and Iceflame, come with me. Now." I loyally followed him out of the camp. Iceflame and Foxpelt were talking urgently and looking around frightfully. If something had happened to their mother, they would be fuming.

We stopped suddenly as Iceflame cried out in horror. There, on the ground in front of us, laid Ferncloud. Her normally pale gray fur was stained with blood, and there were claw marks all over her body. I felt a cry of horror in my throat, and I had to choke it down to control it. I watched as Iceflame and Foxpelt slowly made their way to the dead she-cat, horror frozen in their eyes.

"How...?" Foxpelt stammered.

Firestar sniffed the air. "I smell a rogue. That must have been what killed her," he observed, prodding the dead she-cat with an orange paw. Iceflame stepped forward and looked at her mother, trying to understand. I was just as confused; what did a rogue have against Ferncloud?

"We _will_ find our mother's killer," Foxpelt vowed. I looked at him, feeling worried. What would the tom do to whoever killed his mother?

"And we _will _avenge her." Iceflame agreed.

I padded over to them, "Revenge is not the answer." I murmured. The death of the beloved queen would haunt them forever, I knew that much. What were they ready to do to find their mother's murderer? They were right; he or she did deserve to die at the paws of these two cats. However, he could not have the new warriors go trekking across other Clan territory to find the killer.

"Get back to camp, now. First, help me carry the body," Firestar ordered. We all took Ferncloud's fur in our teeth and slowly dragged her back to camp.

_**Jayfeather's Point of View**_

I could smell her blood. Poor Ferncloud, dead. She had been a great mother to many kits and a loyal queen. All of ThunderClan would miss her.

I looked at her bloody pelt and saw a piece of bracken and a blossom in her fur. _Wait. _I _saw _them. I blinked rapidly, realizing I could see, but I could only see Ferncloud. Then I noticed the bracken and blossom wrapping around each other, the bracken threatening to suffocate the blossom. What could this mean?

Quite suddenly, I felt Yellowfang beside me. She leaned down and whispered into my ear, **"A blossomed bracken will unite to save the Clans or strangle them, suffocating them and shattering every last bit of StarClan with them."** Then she was gone.

A prophecy? What could it mean? A blossomed bracken... could it mean Brackenfur? But what did it mean? How would loyal Brackenfur kill the Clans?

It probably did not mean he would kill them all. However, I had to keep a lookout on him, just to make sure.


	2. Chapter 1

**This chapter was written by Moonstream-Warrior! -clap clap- Enjoy!**

**_Chapter 1_**

I woke when I heard a wail from the nursery. _Sorreltail!_ my brain yowled. I hurried over to the nursery only to be blocked by Jayfeather and Rosepaw. I tried to follow them in, but Jayfeather shooed me away. So I started pacing in front of the nursery. Poppyfrost and Cinderheart woke and ate.

"Come eat, Dad." Poppyfrost called, but I wasn't hungry. Soon, Rosepaw called us in. What I saw filled me with bliss. Suckling from my mate were two tiny kits; one looked like me.

"A she-cat." Jayfeather informed me. Another one looked like Sorreltail, but with a splotch of golden brown on its head.

"A tom." Rosepaw meowed proudly.

"What about that one?" I asked, indicating a small tortoiseshell she-kit.

"Stillborn." Sorreltail looked at me with sorrowful eyes.

I then said, "May StarClan receive her as Fernkit." I touched my nose to Fernkit's soft, cold fur. My daughters from the first litter did the same. Then I turned to Sorreltail. "What about names for the other two?" I queried.

"I was thinking Molekit for the tom. You can name the she-cat since she looks like you." She sounded tired.

I thought for a few minutes, and then told my mate, "She will be Sunkit." Cinderheart pressed her pelt against mine. I flicked her ear with my tail, said good-bye to Sorreltail and my new daughter and son, and went to wake up Blossompaw. She was sharing tongues with Toadpaw when I walked out of the nursery. _She must have just eaten._ Suddenly my stomach growled loudly. My fur grew hot in embarrassment, but luckily, no one heard it. I picked up a plump rabbit and sat next to Brambleclaw to eat it.

He asked me if I wanted to take Blossompaw on the hunting patrol. I politely refused. "No thanks, I'm going to show her the territory. Where are you heading?"

"ShadowClan border. You could come with us, and then continue on your own." I nodded and burped. Brambleclaw let out a _mrrow _of laughter. He walked away to round up the patrol. I padded over to Blossompaw and told her the plan Brambleclaw and I made. She nodded and followed me to where the patrol was gathered. It consisted of Cloudtail, Dustpelt, Toadpaw, and of course, Brambleclaw.

We started toward our border with ShadowClan. Dustpelt halted when he saw a squirrel, and flicked his ears at his apprentice, saying he could catch it. Toadpaw nodded and got into a hunting crouch. He was doing well for his hunt. However, just as he was about to pounce, the squirrel turned, saw him, and fled.

I started to say, "Tough luck Toadpaw.", but he gave chase. "Toadpaw!" I yowled, "Come back! It's the ShadowClan bor-" But Toadpaw raced across the border that was very clearly scented. The squirrel ran up a pine tree. Then I smelled ShadowClan coming this way.

"Toadpaw," I hissed, "Come back here!" Too late. Russetfur, Toadfoot, Snaketail, and an apprentice walked out of the bushes.

"Fox dung." I cursed under my breath.

"Well, well, well," Russetfur meowed, "What's this? A prey-stealing ThunderClan apprentice? Why am I not surprised?"

"Russetfur," Cloudtail growled, "It was an accident. He's a new apprentice."

Russetfur smiled evilly. "Then we can't let him go without a warning." She unsheathed her claws.

_We aren't getting through this without a fight _I realized.

As if he read my thoughts, Brambleclaw yowled, "Attack!"

**Kinda short, but don't worry! Muahaha, cliff hanger! Moonstream-Warrior is so ebil! :D Next chapter will be by me, brackenfurlover!  
---Moonstream-Warrior and brackenfurlover**


	3. Chapter 2

**Here we are with chapter 2!! :D I, brackenfurlover, wrote this one.**

_**Chapter 2 **_

I immediately jumped forward, attempting to rake my claws down Russetfur's back. My claws made their mark, and she gave a yowl of pain. The ShadowClan deputy turned around toward me, blood leaking from her back and onto the soft ground. She spat at me and leapt for me, extending her claws.

Sidestepping quickly, I was able to miss the worse of her blow. One claw clipped my shoulder, and I felt blood welling from it. It was a minor injury. I could afford to ignore it. I crouched down to the earth and got ready to pounce onto her back and bite her neck, but I was interrupted by a small screech.

An icy claw gripped my heart when I turned toward the direction of the squeal. Little Blossompaw, my apprentice, was pinned down by a larger apprentice, and he was raking his claws down her shoulder. I choked down a cry of anger as I remembered that she didn't know how to fight yet, seeing as I was just showing her the territory today. Ignoring Russetfur, I ambushed the other apprentice, knocking him off Blossompaw.

He gave a little cry of surprise as I bit his shoulder. I watched smugly as he ran back to his territory, tail between his legs. Then I turned to Blossompaw.

"Go back to camp, now! And take Toadpaw with you!" I yowled, turning back to face my opponents.

_**Blossompaw's POV**_

I nodded as Brackenfur turned away and went back to fighting. Toadpaw was battling with Toadfoot, and by the looks of it, he was losing. A loud, painful yowl broke across the clearing, and I looked to see Snaketail dragging his sharp claws through Cloudtail's leg. I shivered; that one would cause the senior warrior a lot of pain.

Toadpaw finally broke away from Toadfoot and came running over to me. His right eye was bloody and cut, and he had a small limp. "Toadpaw!" I cried when he got to me. "Hurry, we need to go back to camp! Brackenfur said so!"

I began running as fast as I could, but then I noticed Toadpaw lagging behind. I ran back to him and mewed, "Here, lean on me. I'll help you get back to camp." My own shoulder was hurting, but I let him lean. He gave me a grateful smile, and I felt something in my stomach stir as I looked at him. What was that feeling?

When we walked into camp, Jayfeather and Rosepaw quickly came over to us. A look of horror grew on Rosepaw's face as she studied her brother's wounds.

"Toadpaw! Dear StarClan, what happened?" she yowled, licking her brother's bloody face. I felt a pang of concern in my chest when I looked at the bloody eye Toadfoot had inflicted on the young apprentice. Would he lose that eye? What would happen if he became blind?

"There is a border fight going on!" Toadpaw panted, walking slowly toward the medicine cat den. He leaned on my shoulder still, trying to keep the pain off his injured foot. "Russetfur, Snaketail, and Toadfoot were there. The others are still fighting!"

Jayfeather looked at us all with alarm shining in his blue eyes. Being blind did not stop his eyes from showing emotion at all. "Is Brackenfur there?" he mewed, almost sounding troubled. I looked at him, puzzled, while Toadpaw answered him.

"Yes."

"Hazeltail, Berrynose, Mousewhisker!" Jayfeather called, glancing over to where he knew the three siblings were. "Go to the ShadowClan border! Go help Brack—I mean the others!" They nodded and ran out of camp. I watched them go, and then I turned my gaze back to Toadpaw. We were at the medicine cat den now, and Toadpaw began to seem restless.

"This paw really hurts!" he complained, looking down at the twisted paw. I looked down at it and winced. I hoped Toadpaw would be able to go on with his apprentice training.

Rosepaw cuffed her brother's ear. "Stop moving and we'll fix it! Blossompaw, go out and wait for the others," she ordered. Jayfeather purred and I snorted; she was already acting like the medicine cat! "Please," she added gently, turning to Toadpaw.

I felt anxious leaving Toadpaw in there, but I listened to Rosepaw. I wanted to become friends with both of them. They seemed like fun cats to be around.

The brambles on the entrance squirmed, and the other cats that had been battling walked in to camp. Brambleclaw had a claw mark over his nose that was bleeding slightly, but it was nothing serious. When Brackenfur came in, I watched him closely to make sure my mentor did not have any wounds. There was a cut in his shoulder where Russetfur had gotten him, but it was nothing too serious. Just then, Hazeltail, Berrynose, Dustpelt, and Mousewhisker walked into camp. They were carrying a snow-white warrior with a cut down his leg.

I gasped as I recognized Cloudtail. Fighting a cry of horror, I pelted over to the other cats. "Is that Cloudtail?" I whispered. Dustpelt answered me with a nod. With a choked cry, I mewed, "Is he dead?"

"I am very much alive, thank you!" Cloudtail hissed, lifting his head up. I squealed and jumped up, my pelt bristling. The warriors laughed, and I felt my fur go hot with embarrassment. Cloudtail looked down at me and snickered, "It's ok, Blossompaw. That stupid mousebrain Snaketail raked his claws down my leg, and I guess he hit something, because I can't move it a bit!"

"Oh," I meowed, a little relieved. I looked back at the medicine cat den, where Rosepaw looked out at me and nodded. "Well, take him to the medicine cat den," I instructed. Berrynose rolled his eyes at me, but they walked over to the den.

I followed them so I could see how Toadpaw was. When I got there, the others were leaving. I blinked at them respectfully, and then I walked in. I saw Toadpaw, and I was overly happy when I saw his eye was fine.

"Toadpaw!" I mewed, bouncing over to him. "How is your paw? I see it isn't twisted as much anymore! And your eye isn't cut or bleeding!"

The black and white tom beamed, as if he was happy someone cared for him. "Hi, Blossompaw!" he purred. "It turns out my eye wasn't cut, but right above it was! Jayfeather twisted my paw again, so it turned the right way."

Rosepaw cuffed Toadpaw's ear. "I'm surprised ShadowClan didn't come over to see why there was so much screaming!" she teased. Toadpaw growled playfully at her. I smiled. I wished Bumblepaw, Briarpaw, and I were that close. We hadn't really spoken since we became apprentices.

"Blossompaw? Blossompaw? Where are you?" I heard a cat frantically meow. Millie suddenly appeared at the entrance of the den, and I heard her let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, little Blossompaw! I was so worried! I hadn't heard from you, and I thought those ShadowClan cats had gotten you!" she purred, running to me and pressing her pelt against mine.

I purred and meowed, "Mother, I'm ok! Really! Brackenfur took care of me!" Millie laughed and nuzzled me, flicking her tail across mine.

"Ok, little miss. I'm going to check on your siblings now."

"Bye Mom!" I called as she pelted out of the den. I turned back to Toadpaw and Rosepaw, who were holding in snickers. "What?" I mewed as they began laughing at me.

"I love you Mommy! I love you so much Mommy!" Toadpaw teased. For an odd reason, my fur began to feel hot with embarrassment. What was it about Toadpaw that made me feel so insecure?

"_**Toadpaw**_!" came a cry. I looked up at the entrance and there stood Daisy with her creamy brown fur puffed out. "Oh, my little Toad! Are you ok, my precious?" she howled, pelting over to her injured son. The black and white tom looked at me with a mock death stare, daring me to say anything about it.

"Mom, stop! I'm fine, really!" he protested. I could not help it. I began laughing hysterically at him, until Daisy glared at me.

"Blossompaw, knock it off! My poor kit!" she hissed, looking back at Toadpaw. I laughed even harder, and Rosepaw began to join me. Toadpaw just glared at us.

"Traitors," he hissed.

"Hypocrite," I teased, flicking my tail over his black ear. I felt a shiver go up my spine as my tail touched him, and Rosepaw and Daisy saw it.

"Well, I'm going back to the nursery now. Bye, Toadpaw. Bye, Rosepaw," Daisy mewed, turning to me to give me a warning glare, and then to leave. Her tail flicked my hot face as she left.

Rosepaw walked over to me. Checking to make sure Toadpaw was not listening, she murmured, "You like him, don't you?"

"Huh?"

"I saw you shiver when you touched his pelt! Don't lie!" she said, purring. It was true. I did have a crush on Toadpaw. However, she did not know I had a crush on someone else, too.

"Yeah, I guess I like him," I mewed, looking down at my tortoiseshell paws.

"I knew it!" she meowed, seeming to be happy for her brother. "I could tell by the way you haven't moved from this den since he got here!" I felt my fur getting hotter, and I wondered suddenly if Rosepaw knew who else I had a crush on.

Jayfeather suddenly walked in, and our conversation stopped. I still looked down at my paws while Rosepaw smiled and Toadpaw slept.

"Blossompaw?" I heard a tom meow, and Brackenfur's golden-brown head appeared. "Blossompaw, help! We've lost Molekit and Sunkit! We don't know where they went!"

**GASP!! I haz a cliffhanger! And I stuck Moonstream with writing about it! Muahahahahah-cough cough cough- ---brackenfurlover and Moonstream-Warrior**


	4. Chapter 3

**Hezzo! This chapter was written by Moonstream-Warrior, who told me and I quote: "POST MY CHAPTER AND START YOUR LAZY BUTT ON YOUR CHAPTER!! BEFORE WE GET BATTERED BY UPDATE REVIEWS/PMS!!!!!!" Ahem. So, here is her chapter, but I will not update until we have at least 7 more reviews.**

**_Chapter 3_ _Brackenfur's POV_**

Sorreltail was running all over camp, mewling, "Molekit! Sunkit!"

"Where could they have gone?" I wondered aloud, "They're hardly a moon old!" I turned to Blossompaw and hissed urgently to her, "Did you see them when you came back? Sorreltail said she went to make dirt, and they were gone when she went back to the nursery." I did not wait for an answer and raced off to the warriors' den.

_**Blossompaw's POV**_

I looked after my mentor as he ran to the den where the warriors slept. His fur shone in the sunlight, making him look very handsome… I shook myself to get rid of those thoughts. _Think of where the kits could be!_ I wondered. I padded over to the frantic Sorreltail. "Sorreltail," I mewed to the tortoiseshell queen, "Tell me exactly what happened." Sorreltail sat down, took a deep breath to become calm, and began.

"I needed to go make dirt, so I asked Daisy to watch Molekit and Sunkit. After I was done, I walked quickly back to the nursery, Daisy had left recently, but there was only a faint scent of my kits!" She started wailing. I went over what she had said in my mind. _So... she went to make dirt, ran back, the kits were gone._

Then, it hit me. I pelted over to Brackenfur. "Brackenfur," I panted, "The kits… dirtplace..."

"Yes, I know," he said, not getting what I was saying, "The kits went missing when Sorreltail went to the dirtplace."

"No! They might have followed her scent _to _dirtplace!" I said after I had regained my breath. The golden tom finally understood what I was saying. He nodded and we ran to the nursery, matching step-for-step.

At first, when we got to the dirtplace, there was no scent of either of the kits. Then, I smelled a mix of Sorreltail, milk, and the kits' own scent. Brackenfur was oblivious, still smelling the air. I flicked his ear with my tail, signaling for him to follow. We found the kits in the farthest corner of dirtplace, (where Sorreltail's scent was strongest) mewling for their mother.

"Yes! We found them!" I almost yowled. I padded over to Molekit, the smallest, and wrapped my tail around him. He stopped squirming and was quiet immediately. Then Sunkit crawled over to Brackenfur. _He must have some of his mate's scent on his pelt._ I guessed. I had a sudden feeling of anger at thinking of Sorreltail as Brackenfur's mate. Was-was that jealousy? I shook off the feeling, picked Molekit up by the scruff as Brackenfur had done with Sunkit, and led the way out of dirtplace.

_**Brackenfur's POV**_

As soon as Blossompaw and I set foot in the hollow, Sorreltail cried out and rushed over to us. My apprentice handed Molekit over to the tortoiseshell, and followed her to the nursery, and I followed suit with Sunkit. Once we had settled the kits back in their nest, Sorreltail asked us where the kits were and how I knew.

I twitched my whiskers in amusement and told my mate, "They were at dirtplace, and _Blossompaw_ figured they had followed your scent there." I gazed at my young apprentice and felt feelings of pride, and… love? Could I really love my apprentice? Was that against the warrior code? What about Sorreltail? What if Blossompaw and I had kits once the brown she-cat became a warrior?

I mentally shook my head and said to Blossompaw, "Well, it's late, and you've had a big day. Get some rest and tomorrow we'll work on fighting." She nodded and followed me out of the den. I meowed goodnight to her, and padded to the warriors' den and into my comfortable nest.

**Tada.**


End file.
